[[File:Centaurs (face close up - conceptual artwork).jpg|thumb|250px|A centaur's face in the films.]]

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[[File:Centaurs (face close up - conceptual artwork).jpg|thumb|300px|A centaur's face in the films.]]

*In the books, Centaurs are described as they are in traditional Greek myths, with the back-end of a horse, but an ordinary human face and torso in their upper parts. In the films, however, their human faces are more equine-like, like an exact cross between horse and human. They are covered in hair, the same as their horse halves, with long protruded faces, and long pointy ears.

*In the books, Centaurs are described as they are in traditional Greek myths, with the back-end of a horse, but an ordinary human face and torso in their upper parts. In the films, however, their human faces are more equine-like, like an exact cross between horse and human. They are covered in hair, the same as their horse halves, with long protruded faces, and long pointy ears.

*Despite the fact that the [[Wizards' Ordinary Magic and Basic Aptitude Test]] establishes them to exist, female centaurs have yet to be physically seen in any ''Harry Potter'' media.

*Despite the fact that the [[Wizards' Ordinary Magic and Basic Aptitude Test]] establishes them to exist, female centaurs have yet to be physically seen in any ''Harry Potter'' media.

*In Greek mythology, female centaurs are called centaurides, though they <span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:sans-serif;line-height:19.1875px;">are not mentioned in early Greek literature and art, but do appear occasionally in later antiquity</span>.[http://www.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Centaurs]

*The word '''Centaur''' was originally called '''Kentauros''' (original Greek word), and is generally regarded as of obscure origin.

*The word '''Centaur''' was originally called '''Kentauros''' (original Greek word), and is generally regarded as of obscure origin.

Contents

Physical description

A centaur's general look.

Like horses, centaurs can come in a variety of colours, ranging from deep black to white.

They have the body of a horse, and the torso, arms and head of a human man.

Centaurs are not in fact half-breeds, but an entirely different species on their own. They are not very pleased to be insulted, particularly where their lineage is concerned, as Professor Umbridge found out to her cost.

Centaurs may posses the ability to be clairvoyant, judging from Firenze who taught alongside Sybill Trelawney.

Centaurs on the whole seem also to be rather proud of their species, which was evident in their testiness whenever anyone even accidentally alluded to them being "used" or in any way employed by humankind, as when Firenze was chastised for allowing Harry Potter to ride to safety on his back, after the young wizard encountered Lord Voldemort in the Forbidden Forest-- his fellow centaurs considered allowing such a thing tantamount to becoming a 'common' mule[3].

In 1995, they attempted to murder Firenze for his decision to "enter into human servitude," which was seen as a great and base betrayal[2]. Centaurs also decided to be placed in the Beast Division instead of the Being Division in the British Ministry of Magic archives, because they wished to not be associated with hags and vampires, whom the Ministry designates "Beings"[1].

Centaurs also seem to favour nature over technology, the extent of their tools visibly in use being their bows and arrows. Instead, they cast their attention upon reading signs in nature, and living in forests appropriated by the Ministry of Magic.

They are territorial creatures by nature, as Rubeus Hagrid mentioned in 1995, upon seeing a herd of centaurs in the Forbidden Forest, whose land was being consistently reduced, and that they might revolt against the Ministry as a result. Later the same year, they proclaimed that even Hagrid was "no longer welcome" within "their" forest, as he had "forfeited the friendship of the centaurs," and that their "tolerance was waning" (in reference to Hagrid's half-brother, Grawp, whom Hagrid was hiding in the forest at the time)[2].

Centaurs do have a sense of honour, being unwilling to harm the young, as the herd within the Forbidden Forest refused to harm Hagrid due to the young Harry Potter and Hermione Granger accompanying him at the time. However, this patience and generosity can wane, as later they saw Harry and Hermione deliberately lead Dolores Umbridge into the forest to "use" the centaurs to eliminate her; this, along the fact that both teenagers are nearing their adulthood, led the herd to attempt to attack the two.

Relationship with wizardkind

Starting in 1811, centaurs were offered "Being" status, when Grogan Stump decreed that a "being" was "any creature that has sufficient intelligence to understand the laws of the magical community and to bear part of the responsibility in shaping those laws." However, they declined because of the associations with other creatures, such as vampires and hags, that "being" status would give them. The merpeople made the same decision a year later.[1]

Centaurs have also been known to save wizards from harm, one instance being Firenze saving Harry Potter, when Lord Voldemort was in the forest, though this was highly looked down upon as centaurs were not supposed to interfere with "what is to come."

Known centaurs

Media

Behind the scenes

A centaur's face in the films.

In the books, Centaurs are described as they are in traditional Greek myths, with the back-end of a horse, but an ordinary human face and torso in their upper parts. In the films, however, their human faces are more equine-like, like an exact cross between horse and human. They are covered in hair, the same as their horse halves, with long protruded faces, and long pointy ears.